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(No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. HARPER 8v P. HOOVER.

PIANO CASE.

No. 372,616. Patented NOV. 1, 1887.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

G.- HARPER & P. HOOVER.

PIANO CASE.

No. 372,616. Patented Nov. 1, 1887.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

GEORGE HARPER AND FRANK HOOVER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO THE CLOUGH AND WARREN ORGAN COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PIANO-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,616, dated November 1, 1887.

Application filed July 8, 1887. Serial No. 243,760. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE HARPER and FRANK HoovEE, citizens of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Cases; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains,to make and use the same,

reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon,which form a part ofthis specification.

I 5 The object of this invention is to improve the construction of that class of instruments in which, when the fallboard ofan upright piano or like instrument is raised, as in opening the piano, the music-rack in the front of the in strument will be caused to advance or move forward at the bottom, assuming an inclined position for the sheet-music, the parts being so constructed and united that the opening and closing of the fall-board will automatically op- 5 crate the music'rack. The spring employed in connection with the several parts causes the fallboard to remain depressed when closed, and also to remain in an upright position when elevated, as will be hereinafter set forth.

The other feature of this invention relates to the mechanism coupling the crown-board to the case, whereby said board may be forced back under the top or drawn forward, to increase and decrease the sound of the instrument.

The essential features of this invention will be indicated particularly in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a per- 4 spective of the back face of the upright front of the piano containing our invention. Fig. 2 is an end view, having one of the cheeks removed, showing the position of parts when the fall-board is raised. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the top having the cover removed. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the top portion having the end face removed.

W indicates the frame or case of the instrument; C, the crown'board; T, the cover or top;

K, the key-frame, and D the music-rack. All of said parts are substantially the same as found in instruments of this class, and therefore will require no special mention.

The music-rack D forms the central panel of the front of the instrument, and has on its upper edge blocks 4, which, by hinges 3, are hinged to the back face of the frame.

n n are torsion-springs. Their ends are bent at right angles to the body. One end of each spring is attached to the frame W; the other ends are attached to the music-rack, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. a are flexible bands passing over said springs to prevent a rattling of said springs. It will be observed that by this construction, as the lower edge of the 6 5 music-rack is swung outward or forward, said rods will be twisted, and that the tendency of said rods or springs to untwist will cause the music-rack to hang naturally in an upright position, as shown in Fig.1. Each end of the tall-board A is provided with a circular channel or recess, Z. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

F is an upright metal bracket, the footf of which is firml y attached to the case back of the the cheeks B. We employ a bracket, F, at each end of the fall-board. The head 8 of each bracket lies within the channels Z of the fall-board and is pivoted at a to said fallboard. The channels Z are made sufficiently large, so as to encircle the heads 8 of said brackets when turning the fall-board up, as shown in Fig. 2. The channels Z thereby bring the outer face of the heads 8 flush with the ends of the fall-board, allowing the ends of the fall-board to close flush with the face of the cheeks 13.

R is a rod or rock-shaft, which is journaled in boxes d at the back of the front of the piano. Said rod extends from one end of the instrument to a point centrally back of the musicrack D, at which point the rod is bent upward at right angles, forming the arm 0, the free end of which is bent horizontally and toward the back of the music-rack, forming the step e, which engages with the button or plate t 5 on the music-rack. (See Fig. 1.) The opposite end of said rod is provided with a crank,

c, which engages with the head f of the angular lever H. Said lever is pivoted at 6 to the case of the instrument. To its lower end, at t", is pivoted one end of the couplingrod V. The opposite end of the rod V is pivoted, at c, to the top and back face of the fall-board, as clearly shown in the drawings.

Sis a torsionspring, one end of which is made fast to the case and is covered by a strip Lil of felting, n. The other end terminates at a point in front of the arm 0, where it is bent at right angles, forming the arm 9, the free end of which is bent horizontally, forming a foot, 5,which presses against the arm 0 of the rockshaft 1%, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

It will be observed from the foregoing con struction that as the operator raises the falt board A the rod V will be carried down and backward, forcing the lower end of the lever H back, throwing the head f up, thereby rook ing the shaft Pt, twisting the spring S, and throwing the bottom of the music-rack for ward, as shown in Fig. 2; that when the fall: board is raised, as shown in Fig. 2, the point t, pivoting the rod V to the fall-board, stands below the turning points or pivots a of said board; that the pressure of the spring S on the arm 0 of the rock-shaft it causes the back or lower end of the fall-board to be forced forward, thereby forcing the upper edge of the fall-board backward, thereby maintaining the vertical position shown in Fig. 2. It will also be observed that as the fall-board shown in Fig. 2 is closed the point i of attachment of the rod V to said fall-board rises above the pivot or turning points (t of said fall-board, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, whereby the pressure of the spring S causes said fall-board to be depressed when closed.

The object of the springs n is to cause the musicrack to swing back into the case and assume a vertical position when the rock-shaft is thrown back by the closing of the instrument, as shown in Fig. 1.

The erown-boa rd at .aeh end slides on horizontal cleats d. To the back of the crownboard, at the lon 'tudinal center, is attached, by hingest if, a folding or guide board, B. Said guide-board is hinged at its opposite edge to a second folding-board, B, which last board, at its opposite edge, is hinged at V to the case or supportingboard, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and The case or supporti rig-board \Vis provided with two studs or stops-w and a. (See Fig 1.)

Both fac s of the board 33 are provided with a pad, 0. Said pads strike the lugs r and a asthe board. is swung forward and bacl" ward in sliding the crowrrboard C under the cover and drawing it for .vard,whieh is accomplished. b the operator grasping the knob is of the crown board and pushing, when the crownboard U will be slid back, as shownin Fig. 3, the boart B swinging backward until it strikes the lug a, when the backwardmove ment of the crown-board G will be arrested.

To close the opening N when the board G is back, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, the operator draws forward on the button 7;, the board G advancing until the guise board B strikes the stop 1', when the forward movement of the crown-board will be arrested and the opening hi closed, as shown in Fig. The object ofliaving the boards or plates 13" B attached to the crownboard is to cause said crown-board,when moving backward and forward,to travel on a true line, both ends moving alike, thereby preventing any binding of parts.

Having thus fully set forth the features of our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the case having the brackets F attached thereto, the fall-board pivoted at its ends to said brackets,the musicrack, the rod R, the lever H, and the rod V, coupling said lever to the fall-board, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In combination with the brackets F, the fall-board having the recessed ends Z, pivoted to said brackets, the music rack, the shaft R, the lever H, the rod V, having one end pivoted to said lever, the other to the top rear edge of the fall-board, and the spring for operating said shaft, as and for the purposes specified.

3. In combination with the brackets F, the fail-boarthaml the channels 59' in the ends ofsaid fall-board, the heads of said brackets located in said channels and pivoted to the faltboard at a, as and for the purposes specified.

41-. In combination with the fall board, the bracket pivoted at n: to the end thereof, the muSic-rack,the lever ll, the rod coupling said lever to the music-rack, and the rod V, having one end coupled to said love the other end to thetall-board, whereby the pivoted point i will travel in the are of a circle about the pivot (L- in raising and lowering the fall board, as and for the purposes specified.

5. In combination with the brackets, the fall-board pivoted at its ends to said brackets, the music-rack having the torsion-spring n, the lever ll, pivoted to the case, the rod coupling said lever with the musicrack, a spring pressing said rod,and the rod V, pivoted at one end to the lowerend of said lever, its other end to the back of the fall-board, as and for the purposes specified.

6. The combination of the swinging fallboard, the swinging music-rack, the angular lever, the rod coupling said lever to the fallboard, and the horizontal rock-shaft having engagenient at one end with the angular lever, at the other end with the musicrack, substantially as and for thepurpose' specified.

7. In combination with the case having the supports (2, the sliding crown-board, the plates 15 l, hinged together, one plate being hinged to the crown-bozn'd, the other to the ('ase,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

S. The combination of the case,the supports d, the crown-board,the plate 13, hinged to the crownboard and to the plate the latter ,1) plate hinged also to the case, the stops a and r, engaging with the plate B, as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof we affix our in presence oftwowitnesses.

GEORGE HARPER.

Flt ARK HOOVER.

signatures Witnesses:

J osnrn A. "\Vi-innnn, 1%. B. WHEELER,

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